Tied, diapered, beaten: Israeli insiders reveal severe Palestinian torture

Jamal Al-Esawi, a newly released Palestinian who was detained by the Israeli army, reacts as he is hugged by his relatives at a hospital in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip May 2, 2024. (Photo/REUTERS/Hatem Khaled)

Israeli whistleblowers have revealed disturbing conditions at the Sde Teiman desert camp, a military base turned torture centre in the Negev desert, according to a report by CNN .

The facility holds Palestinians detained during Israel's invasion of besieged Gaza.

The whistleblowers, who risk legal repercussions and reprisals from groups supportive of Israel’s harsh policies in Gaza, described detainees held under extreme physical restraint.

"Rows of men in gray tracksuits are seen sitting on paper-thin mattresses, ringfenced by barbed wire. All appear blindfolded, their heads hanging heavy under the glare of floodlights," said the report, citing whistleblowers.

"We were told they were not allowed to move. They should sit upright. They’re not allowed to talk. Not allowed to peek under their blindfold."

Disturbing accusations of abuse of Palestinian detainees by Israeli troops come from inside Israel's military. Accusations surround a detention facility in the Negev desert. Three Israeli whistleblowers describe a systematic pattern of abuse. @mchancecnn reports. pic.twitter.com/RUQ6zlsm6E
— Becky Anderson (@BeckyCNN) May 10, 2024

Tortured out of 'revenge'

The report said detainees are "placed under extreme physical restraint, and a field hospital where wounded detainees are strapped to their beds, wearing diapers and fed through straws."

One whistleblower, who works as a medic at the facility’s field hospital, said: "They stripped them down of anything that resembles human beings."

It noted that guards were instructed to silence detainees and to single out "problematic" individuals for punishment.

Another whistleblower said beatings were administered "not for intelligence gathering," but out of "revenge."

The whistleblowers' accounts also raised concerns about medical care at the facility.

Another reported "amputated prisoners' limbs due to injuries sustained from constant handcuffing; of medical procedures sometimes performed by under-qualified medics," the report added.

In response to CNN’s request for comment, the Israeli military stated that any misconduct allegations are "examined and dealt with accordingly."

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Source: TRT